(MIAMI) – For entrepreneurs looking to start or expand a business or residents wanting to improve their homes, trying to obtain the necessary building permits can sometimes be a frustrating experience. But the County's permitting and inspections process will soon become easier to navigate thanks to a resolution adopted by Miami-Dade County Commissioners on Wednesday.

The resolution, sponsored by Commission Chairwoman Rebeca Sosa, directs Mayor Carlos Gimenez to prepare a plan within 90 days to streamline the permitting process for everyone from large developers to people looking to open mom-and-pop shops or make improvements to their homes.

"New businesses create jobs and improve the County's overall economy, so we need to do everything we can to streamline the permitting process to encourage entrepreneurship," Chairwoman Sosa said. "We don't want people to give up on their dreams of becoming a business owner because of inconsistent information from inspectors resulting in delays and frustration, as has happened in the past. A more customer-friendly process will also improve public perception while providing constituents with excellent service."

The resolution calls for several specific reforms to how the Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources, the Fire Rescue Department and other County departments handle permitting, including:

• Assigning a single inspector per trade to complete all trade inspections for a particular property and create a written report detailing what an applicant is told during each inspection; • Having each inspector report to a supervisor who would review the report and track and resolve any inconsistencies;• Having the inspector provide the permit applicant with the supervisor’s contact information to report any concerns;• Creating a one-stop information and processing center for pulling permits; and • Requiring inspectors to undergo customer training.

For more information on Resolution #131337, please call Chairwoman Sosa’s office at 305-375-4696.